Whether you’ve taken on a new profession like teaching, become a parent for the first time, or been promoted to the head of your company, earning the trust of others you influence is now a crucial part of your life. You’re at the stage where you have to gain the trust of others in order to be effective.
If this is the first time you’ve been in this position, you’ll probably have concerns about whether or not you have what it takes to inspire others to trust you. The good news is that you probably do. You probably already have the inborn skills to inspire trust.
Follow these strategies to better develop these skills and earn the trust you seek:
1. Â Be a good listener. Being able to listen to the thoughts and concerns of others is a sure way to gain their trust.
- When people feel like you are genuinely listening to their outpouring, they develop closeness to you and comfort in your presence. That translates to trust, and you’ll find that your opinion is highly regarded going forward.
2. Give positive feedback and reinforcement. People naturally trust others who give positive feedback on their actions. If you want your family, friends and subordinates at work to trust you, it’s important to let them hear positive feedback from you. You can also motivate others by providing positive reinforcement.
- Ensure your positive feedback is sincere. If it’s not sincere, they’ll pick up on that and your efforts to inspire trust will then backfire. Find something good to say that you do, indeed, believe to be true.
3. Â Be honest in your expressions. Honesty goes a long way in helping you to earn the trust of others. Although people may not always be in favor of what you’ve said, they’ll likely respect the fact that you’re being honest and straightforward. They will also feel comfortable being honest with you.
4. Â Show genuine concern for someone’s well-being. When you show someone that you’re genuinely concerned about their well-being, they’ll instantly feel close to you and will want to come to you for help or advice. And, they’ll very likely trust the advice you give them because they feel you have their best interest at heart.
5.  Live in kindness. When you’re kind, you’re almost always able to gain the trust of others. There’s a common notion that someone who displays kindness deserves to be trusted because they can naturally give from the heart. It should be noted, however, that kindness that is not genuine can be viewed negatively, and can result in others being wary of you.
6. Â Uphold morals and principles. As someone who upholds morals and principles, you’re probably trusted by most around you without even knowing it! When you live according to set principles, others look upon you with a high regard.
For you, earning trust is probably as easy as being yourself. While there may be some elements which you’ll want to acquire in order to be trustworthy, you’re likely naturally born with most of the m. Use the behaviors and attitudes your conscience dictates and you’ll easily earn the trust of others.
